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Summary: Scary Ride
Review: This is one of the most powerful and interesting books I've read in a long time. For me, it helped validate my fears of organized religion, which I find to be one of the scariest things on earth. For you? Who knows. What I know is that all religions are based on faith of the unknown. That is scary enough. Under the Banner of Heaven is a hell of a ride.
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Summary: REVIEWS FROM UTAH....
Review: Folks,Since I'd already read the book I wrote a review first, as a former Mormon (apostate, they call me). Then I read all 301 reviews. I'd say Jon's rating, right now a four-star, is one helluva a rating, given that there was virtually no middle ground - ones and twos averaged with fives. Another *very* interesting thing I noted was how many negative reviews came from cities and towns mentioned in Joh's book (especially American Fork, UT). Looks like you hit a nerve, Joh!! Good for you........... larry fullmer
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Summary: BORN UNDER THE "BANNER".....
Review: Folks, I was born a raised a Mormon in Sugar City, Idaho - 99.99% pure (as in Ivory soap). Truly, it was, and is, that pure. With that monoploy, and the roots so deep, I got to hear about most of what John K. wrote, firsthand, as a kid. His, or more precisely the Mormon Church's, desire to distance mainstream Mormonism from fundamentalism is misplaced. The Doctrine is there. It's just that the fundamentalists take it seriously - sorta like Islam, if you know what I mean. I still live in Idaho, as an apostate (horrors), and I know for a fact that my family members and others are reading Krakhauer (no doubt under the covers with a flashlight, as I once read "Peyton Place"). I know Mormon fundamentalists. I've been to their meetings. Krakhauer hit it dead-on in relation to Doctrine, and in relation to those who take it seriously. One thing *all* Mormons believe is that they "will save the Constitution when it is hanging by a thread". I urge you to read the book for insight into what that might mean. Larry Fullmer (out from under the Banner, condemned, hence, to the lowest of the lowest of the rungs of heaven/hell)........
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Summary: Good Read, but Limited Insight
Review: Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer is an interesting book about the history of Mormonism, with a focus on how two ultra-fundamentalist Mormans, on the orders of God, committed the senseless murders of their sister in law and their niece. Admittedly, when I first heard of the book, and the fact that it was written by Krakauer, I was surprised and a little apprehensive. After all the subject matter is a far cry from Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. But Krakauer deserves credit for making the transition, although a greater background in religion or in the study of history would have been helpful. The book moves back and forth from a history of Mormonism and the murders. The writing is clear and readable as you would expect. Krakauer does a find job giving the history of both and attempting to explain the whys and wherefor of the murders and some the darker sides of Morman history. The chief limitation of the book is Krakauer's limitation as a author. Unlike his prior books, Krakauer does not have a firm background in religion, Mormonism or criminology. Thus, his ability to explain the whys and wherefores is quite limited and as a result only the surface of events is investigated. Even given this obvious limitation, the book is a worthwhile read.
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Summary: Terrific Expose on Mormonite Polygamy & its Consequences
Review: This book is a really heartbreaking story about "fundamenalist Mormons" living virtually autonomously in rural western U.S. towns and clinging to the misguided "plural marriage" practices that "mainstream" Mormons abandoned a century ago. I know that "mainstream" Mormons won't like having these stories told, but Mormonism arose in the age of the printing press, and a good researcher, like Krakauer, can follow an ample paper trail. Krakauer's a great writer, but he needs a good editor and doesn't have one. There's a misspelled word on virtually every other page.
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Summary: Could not put this book down
Review: "Under the Banner of Heaven" supplies an engrossing and stunningly accurate discourse on Mormonism (and its spin-off polygamist cults) from the religion's birth during the U.S.'s first period of great social experimentation - the early 1800's - to the present day. Just as in "Into Thin Air" and "Into the Wild," the reader walks away with a profound understanding of makes people do what they do. And in this case, it is what possessed members of the Lafferty clan to pursue blood atonement with sociopathic zeal as well as why people join (and leave) the Mormon Church. I do not understand why some Mormons interpret this book as an affront to the LDS faith, as it is the most fact-based, innocuous, and non-lurid account of this American-born religion as I have every read. Perhaps it is because the Mormon Church emphasizes historical research so much and is used to being able to hide historical unpleasantries. What the Church should appreciate is that Mr. Krakauer did not even touch the Church-sanctioned clannishness and personal/business ostracization that has historically taken place, and still occurs, in small Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, and Nevada towns once it is realized that certain "Gentiles" are sticking to their own Judeo-Christian faiths. Since this is such a large aspect of the LDS faith, Mr. Krakauer really could have been quite harsh. This book is a must-read for just about everyone, especially American-history and true-crime buffs, as well as those who live in the Western U.S.A.
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Summary: Narcissism and Exclusion of Mormon Church
Review: This historical and readable account of the beginnings of mormonism and the aspects of the religion that promote narcissism and exclusion is a fascinating read. Mr. Krakauer looks at the aspects of mormonism that promote fundamental sects to spawn, each with their own cult following. He looks at the elements that converged to cause the Colorado City murder of a mother and infant, and also the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. His reports of the self-contained offshoot mormon communities is like a nightmare with incest, abuse, and control being the mainstream. I think this was a courageous book to write. Thank you.
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Summary: A dark and controversial vision. . .
Review: Jon Krakauer's books invite controversy. Currently there are already 296 strongly opinionated customer reviews of this book at amazon, and it's been out less than a year. His 1997 book "Into the Wild," about the disappearance of young Chris McCandless in Alaska, has 743 reviews, also representing a wide range of disagreement. Not surprisingly, the LDS church has expressed concern over the content of "Under the Banner of Heaven," as it might no matter how its subject matter is treated, since it deals with an aspect of Mormonism that from the church's point of view is not Mormon at all - the fundamentalist splinter groups that deny the legitimacy of the church and feel that it has abandoned the burning vision of its founder, Joseph Smith. Minute in number (1/100th the size of the mainstream church), fundamentalists get more than their share of attention. This is due in part because they aggressively practice polygamy, a form of social organization that runs sharply counter to mainstream American values, while at the same time it deeply fascinates outsiders because of its view of human sexuality. Combine this with two religiously inspired murders, which form the central thread in this book, and you have compelling material for a writer of Krakauer's investigative skills and ability to capture what he learns in a vivid narrative. Like "Into the Wild," the book is constructed as something of a mystery. How did two brothers, who had grown up in a god-fearing, apparently wholesome family go so far off the path of mainstream Mormon faith that in the name of God they would brutally murder their young sister-in-law and baby? The answer or answers, as he looks for them, take Krakauer not only to the far-flung fundamentalist communities in remote parts of the US, Mexico and Canada but back in time to the origins of the church in the charismatic leadership of Joseph Smith, the community of the faithful who grew up around him, and the animosity of non-Mormons, which eventually reached to the federal government. Krakauer views the modern-day murders through a history of bloodshed, including the death of Joseph Smith, as the early LDS church fought for its life, eventually fleeing to the wastelands of the Great Basin in what is now Utah. Even here the bloodshed did not end, as Krakauer notes in his account of the Mountain Meadow massacre of a wagon train bound for California. In the end, Krakauer turns to the testimonies of psychologists at one of the murder trials to reveal, in theory at least, how culture and circumstances conspired to produce two cold-blooded killers, neither of whom feels remorse for their actions. Whether these expert witnesses shed enough light to account for what happened is up to the reader to decide, but they do make one thing clear - as deluded as both brothers seem, they were never insane, but from beginning to end, no matter how extreme their behavior, they remained in full possession of their reason. They knew exactly what they were doing. I don't believe Krakauer intends to fault the LDS church, but it is easy to see how any LDS reader would find his book unflattering. Where a non-Mormon reader would find certain details difficult to comprehend or regard with sympathy, one notes a tone of irony slipping into the word choice and the point of view. Certainly the selection of details contributes to a darker vision of Mormonism, simply by its unfortunate association with extreme fundamentalism. Keeping all this in mind, however, I strongly recommend the book. It is compelling reading and hard to put down.
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Summary: Informative but a bit dry. He is a special writer, though.
Review: There is something about his writing style that I really enjoy. The subject matter is a bit dry, but still interesting. If you haven't read anything buy Krakauer start with Into Thin Air and Into the Wild first...then this.
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Summary: I'm not a Mormon, and I'm not impressed.
Review: I have read everything Jon Krakauer has written, and have been often impressed until now. Krakauer harps and then harangues with his primary thesis: the religious are off their rockers, and any type of religious observance is a likely predictor of violence or at least bad character. I knew Krakauer was cracked when he expressed concern that our President is a born again Christian, and that John Ashcroft prays in the morning. He is really trying to connect the crazy dots here, suggesting that the faith of our country's leaders (or really, anyone's faith) is a dangerous thing. How disappointing to discover that what could have been an enlightening and thought provoking read about the dangers of fundamentalism and the true ickiness of polygamy (and don't get me started on the insane cruelty of the child brides and the welfare programs) instead became a way for Krakauer to lash out at anyone who is dull enough to believe...and vote Republican. Clearly Krakauer has traded one kind of faith ("Satan is bad") for another ("Religious Conservatives are bad"). But if he is going to throw bombs at the opposing group for being addled and overly simplistic in their thinking, he ought to look in the mirror first.
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